When you are looking for construction quality management software, you should ask questions to get a clear picture of the vendor's expertise. Construction is a unique industry with significant variations among companies. However, to ensure consistent standards and enhance customer satisfaction, the implementation of quality management systems becomes crucial. Total quality management further contributes to promoting excellence and efficiency throughout the construction process.
Can the software vendor help you decide how the system should work at your company and make it easy to get up to speed with your unique needs? How much training will it take to get the system up and running? Here are five questions to ask software vendors before you make a decision:
1. Do you understand quality management within the construction industry?
Inquire with the vendor about their experience and expertise in quality planning, continuous improvement, and quality assurance, particularly in the construction industry. While the vendor may excel in software development, it is important to determine their knowledge and capabilities in relation to construction-specific quality management practices. Provide them with a brief overview of your operations and ask how their quality management system addresses the unique requirements of your industry.
Does the vendor understand the different roles in the construction industry and how quality management affects people in those roles?
For example, can they describe how subcontractors, crews, foremen, and superintendents would use the software on the field at your company? The vendor should have enough construction background to focus on how to make the software help you succeed instead of interview you about roles at your company.
2. Do you understand my speciality within the construction industry?
If the vendor understands the construction industry, you should then find out if they understand your speciality in the industry.
Does the system come with checklists specific to your speciality, or do you need to start from scratch? Can the vendor relate to your speciality enough to help you decide how to put the quality control management system in place in a way that provides you with the most benefits and the least amount of work?
Does the quality management software include a risk management module?
How will it handle document management for your speciality?
The vendor should be able to do more than recite a list of features. Your company is unique, and your vendor should be familiar with your speciality and be able to help you decide how to manage your business so crews operate more efficiently.
3. Do you understand who will need to use the system at my company?
If you are confident the vendor understands your specialty in the industry, it is important to assess their knowledge about the quality management system (QMS) and the associated standards. Additionally, it is crucial to determine if the vendor comprehends how the people in the field will utilize the software. Will a QA inspector utilize the system differently from a superintendent or a safety auditor? Furthermore, you should inquire if the vendor can explain simple techniques, based on quality improvement methods, for each employee to handle tasks while ensuring adherence to the quality management system standard. This is essential to avoid complex processes that may burden field personnel.
4. What training materials do you offer and how much training will I need?
If the vendor understands how field people will use the software at your business, find out how much training you will need to get the system to work for you. Ask the vendor what kind of training materials they offer and then evaluate them. For example, if they offer training videos, are they an hour long or in the five to ten minute range?
Long training videos or classes might be a red flag that the system has a steep learning curve and a field person might not take the time to review them. If the vendor offers five or ten-minute videos, it might be a sign that the software is easy to learn and requires minimal training, thereby promoting efficient business processes, facilitating process improvement, and supporting the implementation of enterprise quality management software.
5. Can I trial a full version of your software?
Find out if you can trial the full version of the vendor's software. If you can trial a version that has only some of the features, you will not get the chance to see exactly how the software will work at your business.
It may be more important to see what is being hidden from you than what is included in a limited trial. Even if the vendor explains the process to you and you feel confident it will work for you, you want to make sure everything works the way you expect.
Conclusion
After you ask vendors these questions and any others you might have and you are confident they understand your business, you should have an idea of how the software can improve your specific processes. There should be no question that the software will benefit your business.
If you're looking for construction management software, we'd be happy to answer your questions and start you on a free trials of FTQ360.
